Article and method for applying a fringe to an article

ABSTRACT

An article and related method for creating custom and decorative fringes including an elongate and flexible template exhibiting an interior and linear extending slot. A yarn or ribbon is successively wrapped around the sides of the template in length progressing fashion as to overlay the slot. A stabilizer, including such as a hem tape, bias tape or ribbon, is aligned with the slot and sewn or otherwise secured to the yarn or ribbon, following which the lateral extending edges are sectioned to remove the finished item from the template and to permit subsequent application to an edge or other surface of an existing article.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to articles and related methodsfor creating custom and decorative fringes. More specifically, thepresent invention teaches an elongate and flexible template exhibitingan interior and linear extending slot. A yarn or ribbon is successivelywrapped around the sides of the template in length progressing fashionas to overlay the slot. A stabilizer, including such as a bias tape,ribbon or hem tape, is aligned with the slot and sewn otherwise securedto the yarn or ribbon, following which the lateral extending edges aresectioned to remove the finished item from the template.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Commercial made fringes and trims are known to be fairly expensivearticles and, given such, are further known to be provided in limitedsizes and colors. This is further most evident when attempting to matcha specific type and color of fringe material for application to such asa cushion.

The prior art is further documented with examples of template styledarticles for creating such as bows or tufts. A first example of this isset forth in U.S. Pat. No. 2,317,914, issued to McIntyre and whichteaches a tufting device having a template with an open accessible slotand along which is wrapped a yarn material. The slot includes anenlarged circular shaped central profile, at which a further length ofmaterial is knotted (FIG. 6) in order to pinch the wound tuft and priorthe opposite edges being section by scissors. A similar arrangement toMcIntyre is shown in the tapered board of Lofton U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,157and which is slotted at both ends for providing a winding area formaking yarn pom-poms.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention discloses a kit assembly for creating a customdecorative fringe, and which includes an elongate and substantiallyplanar shaped template exhibiting at least one widthwise extendinghinge, and typically a pair of spaced apart hinges, such that multipletemplate sub-sections are foldable relative to another. A linearextending slot is defined within an interior of the template. A flexibleand elongate decorative material is successively wrapped around sides ofthe template, and in side-by-side contacting and length progressingfashion, and so that the decorative material is caused to overlay theslot.

The stabilizer is aligned with the slot and applied there-along tofasten to the decorative material, the successive wraps of materialsubsequently being sectioned for removal of the finished item from thetemplate and to permit subsequent application to an existing article. Inany one of a number of preferred embodiments, the stabilizer can includeany of ahem tape, bias tape, ribbon or an elongate strip of fabric sewnto the wound decorative material.

A notch can be formed in the template, along at least one side location,for engaging an initial winding of the decorative material. The templatecan be constructed of a flexible plastic and further such that thelinear extending slot extends a substantial interior length of thetemplate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read incombination with the following detailed description, wherein likereference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, andin which:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a decorative fringe created using thetemplate article of the present invention and attached to a cushion;

FIG. 2 is partial illustration of a yarn material wound in a successiveand length extending fashion about the template, and further showing thestabilizer secured to an intermediate extending location of the woundmaterial aligning with the slot defined in the template;

FIG. 3 is an illustration similar to that shown in FIG. 2 of a ribbonmaterial applied in a similar fashion to the template;

FIG. 4 is a perspective illustration of the template article accordingto the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a further view of the template illustrating itsflexible/foldable construction to facilitate ease of use, such as with asewing machine and when creating longer lengths of fringe material.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1, an illustration is generally shown at 10 of adecorative fringe created using the template article of the presentinvention and attached to a cushion 12. The cushion 12 is intended torepresent any one of a number of conventionally known articles and towhich the custom and decorative fringe material is capable of beingsecured. As further previously described, the article, kit assembly andmethod of the present invention permit the quick and easy creation ofany of a variety of elongate fringe articles, such as exhibiting anytype of yarn or ribbon, and which provide the user with enhanced abilityto create and apply such a customized fringe (using a pre-selecteddecorative material matching a color and/or consistency of the cushionor other article).

Referring now to FIG. 2, a partial illustration is shown of a yarnmaterial, such as provided by a ball 2, to be wound in a successive andlength extending fashion about a template 14. The template 14 can beconstructed of a flexible or rigid plastic or other suitable (e.g.cardboard) material and exhibits an elongate and substantially planarshape. As further shown in each of FIGS. 4 and 5, the template 14 isgenerally rectangular shaped with first 16 and second 18 widthwiseextending hinge, such that multiple, illustrated as first, second andthird individual, template sub-sections 20, 22 and 24 are foldablerelative to another.

The hinges 16 and 18 are further understood to include such as livinghinges, these providing the ability of the template subsections 20, 22and 24 to be repetitively folded and unfolded without affecting thestructurally integrity of the interconnection between the succeedingsubsections. Although not shown, it is important the template 14 becapable of being repetitively manipulated (i.e. successively folded andunfolded), such as during use with a sewing machine (not shown) and inorder to quickly and effectively apply the finished article to theconventional cushion 12 or other suitable known article.

A linear extending slot is defined within an interior of the template 14and as best illustrated in FIG. 4 by inwardly facing side and end walls26, 28, 30 and 32. The slot, as shown, extends a substantial interiorlength of the template 14 and corresponds with outwardly facing side 34and 36 and interconnecting end 38 and 40 surfaces which collectivelydefine the exterior perimeter of the template as collectivelyconstructed by the flexibly interconnected sections 20, 22 and 24.Although not shown, a conventional sewing machine presser foot isdimensioned to seat in non-interfering fashion within the stabilizerslot.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the flexible and elongate decorative materialagain shown as a yarn 2, is successively wrapped around the sides 34 and36 of the template (reference by initial hingedly connecting section20), such as in a side-by-side contacting and length progressingfashion. According to one desired embodiment, the decorative material iscaused to overlay the slot in a closely wound fashion, thiscorresponding to the creation of a tighter knit pattern associated withthe generated trim.

A stabilizer element is provided, see as shown at 42, and which isaligned with the slot and applied there-along to fasten to thedecorative material and to provide a firm edge to apply the fringe tothe project (e.g., cushion 12) it will be decorating. The stabilizer 42can include any of a ribbon, hem tape, bias tape or strip of fabric (asshown). It is also envisioned that other materials or compositions canbe utilized as a stabilizer and which is used to attach the fringe tothe decorative material.

The purpose of the stabilizer 42 is to secure the successive wraps ofmaterial, such as in non-interfering fashion with existing presser foot(not shown) of the sewing machine which stitches the stabilizer 42 tothe yarn or ribbon via a reciprocating needle which sits in the middleof the presser foot, and prior to them being sectioned (such as byscissors 4 applied along each of the opposite side edges 34 and 36). Atthis point, the finished decorative item is removed from the template 14and to permit subsequent application to an existing article.

A notch 44 can be formed in the template (such as shown along initialsection 20), along at least one side location (see side 36), and forengaging an initial winding of the decorative material (see initialwinding 2′ of yarn in FIG. 2). In this fashion, the notch 44 secures theyarn or ribbon to facilitate even and correct winding about the templatein the manner shown.

FIG. 3 is an illustration similar to that shown in FIG. 2 of a ribbonmaterial 6 applied in a similar fashion to the template 14. Although notshown, a suitable notch can also be provided in the template forsecuring an initial winding 6′ of the ribbon.

The template 14 can exhibit either or both a flexible (e.g. bendable)and/or foldable till plastic body and in order to be manipulated betweenthe sewing machine and the operator.

The template, according to one non-limiting embodiment, can exhibit anoverall length by example of forty inches by seven inches in width. Asdescribed previously, the slot can further include a one inch width topermit a sewing machine presser foot to fit into the slot, therebyattaching the stabilizer to the material being wound and can extendthirty six inches along the middle of the template interior and acrossthe three bendable/hingedly interconnecting sections, thereby creatingone yard of fringe at a time.

The yarn or ribbon is then progressively wound in the fashion describedherein (and may further be double wound in instances where it is desiredto achieve a particularly thick fringe trim). At this point, thetemplate with attached yarn/ribbon is placed under the presser foot ofthe sewing machine (in one non-limiting variant) between which is thestabilizer and lie exposed surface of the cross wound decorativematerial. The decorative material is then sectioned in the mannerillustrated (such as by incising with scissors) and in order to removethe completed fringe article and which exhibits a particularly thickpattern (owing to the windings extending along both opposite faces ofthe template in effect “doubling up” the number of individual fringesextending from the stabilizer).

A method for creating and applying a decorative fringe includes thesteps of providing an elongate and substantially planar shaped templateexhibiting at least one widthwise extending hinge such that a firsttemplate sub-section is foldable relative to a second templatesub-section and forming a linear extending slot within an interior ofthe template. Additional steps include winding a flexible and elongatedecorative material in successively wrapped fashion around the templatein side-by-side contacting and length progressing fashion and furthersuch that the decorative material is caused to overlay the slot,aligning a stabilizer with the slot and applying there-along by sewingto fasten to the decorative material, and sectioning the successivewraps of material for removal from the template.

Additional method steps include applying the decorative fringe to anexisting article, forming a notch in the template for securing theretoan initial winding associated with the decorative material, and formingfirst and second spaced apart hinges for establishing first, second andthird foldable template subsections.

Having described my invention, other additional embodiments will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains, and withoutdeviating from the scope of the appended claims:

1. An article for creating a custom decorative fringe, comprising: atemplate having a flexible construction with first and second elongateextending sides and first and second interconnecting ends, a linearextending slot defined within an interior of said template such that aflexible and elongate decorative material successively wrapped aroundsaid sides of said template in length progressing fashion is caused tooverlay the slot; and a stabilizer aligned with the slot and applyingthere-along to fasten to the decorative material, the successive wrapsof material are sectioned along said template sides to remove thefinished item from said template and to permit subsequent application toan existing article.
 2. The article as described in claim 1, saidstabilizer further comprising at least one of a hem tape, bias tape,ribbon or strip of fabric.
 3. The article as described in claim 1, saidtemplate further comprising a substantially planar and elongaterectangular shaped article.
 4. The article as described hi claim 3, saidtemplate further comprising at least one widthwise extending hinge forpermitting a first template sub-section to be folded relative to asecond template sub-section.
 5. The article as described in claim 4,said template further comprising first and second spaced apart hingesfor establishing first, second and third foldable template subsections.6. The article as described in claim 1, farther comprising a notchformed in said template along at least one side location for engaging aninitial winding of the decorative material.
 7. The article as describedin claim 1, said template exhibiting a specified shape and size andbeing constructed of a flexible plastic.
 8. The article as described inclaim 1, said linear extending slot extending a substantial interiorlength of said template.
 9. The article as described in claim 1, saidstabilizer further comprising an elongate strip of fabric sewn to thewound decorative material.
 10. The article as described in claim 1, saidtemplate having a specified shape and size, the decorative articlefurther including at least one of a yarn or a ribbon.
 11. A kit assemblyfor creating a custom decorative fringe, comprising: an elongate andsubstantially planar shaped template exhibiting at least one widthwiseextending hinge such that a first template sub-section is foldablerelative to a second template sub-section; a linear extending slotdefined within an interior of said template such that a flexible andelongate decorative material successively wrapped around sides of saidtemplate in side-by-side contacting and length progressing fashion iscaused to overlay the slot; and a stabilizer aligned with the slot andapplying there-along to fasten to the decorative material, thesuccessive wraps of material subsequently being sectioned for removal ofthe finished item from said template and to permit subsequentapplication to an existing article.
 12. The assembly as described inclaim 11, said stabilizer further comprising at least one of a hem tape,bias tape, ribbon or an elongate strip of fabric sewn to the wounddecorative material.
 13. The assembly as described in claim 11, saidtemplate further comprising first and second spaced apart hinges forestablishing first, second and third foldable template subsections. 14.The article as described in claim 11, further comprising a notch formedin said template along at least one side location for engaging aninitial winding of the decorative material.
 15. The article as describedin claim 11, said template exhibiting a specified shape and size andbeing constructed of a flexible plastic.
 16. The article as described inclaim 11, said linear extending slot extending a substantial interiorlength of said template.
 17. A method for creating and applying adecorative fringe, comprising the steps of: providing an elongate andsubstantially planar shaped template exhibiting at least one widthwiseextending hinge such that a first template sub-section is foldablerelative to a second template sub-section; forming a linear extendingslot within an interior of the template; winding a flexible and elongatedecorative material in successively wrapped fashion around the templatein side-by-side contacting and length progressing fashion and furthersuch that the decorative material is caused to overlay the slot;aligning a stabilizer with the slot and applying there-along to fastento the decorative material; and sectioning the successive wraps ofmaterial for removal from the template.
 18. The method as described inclaim 17, further comprising the step of applying said decorative fringeto an existing article.
 19. The method as described in claim 17, furthercomprising the step of forming a notch in the template for securingthereto an initial winding associated with the decorative material. 20.The method as described in claim 17, further comprising the step offorming first and second spaced apart hinges for establishing first,second and third foldable template subsections.